Breech-loading ordnance.



No. 841,637. PATENTED JAN. 15, 1907.

A. T. DAWSON & G. T. BUGKHAM.

BREEGH LOADING ORDNANGB. APPLICATION FILED MAR-29,1904.

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No. 841,637. PATENTED JAN. 15, 1'907. A. T. DAWSON & G. T. BUGKHAM.

BREEGH LOADING ORDNANOE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.29. 1904.

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No. 841,637. PATENTED JAN.15, 1907. A. T. DAWSON & G. T. BUGKHAM.

BREBGH LOADING ORDNANGE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29, 1904.

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nrrE s'ra'rEs ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON AN D GEORGE THOMAS BUOKHAM, OFLONDON,

ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS TO VICKERS SONS &

'VVESTMINSTER, ENGLAND.

MAXIM LI M 1T ED, OF

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 15. 1907.

Application filed March 29,1904. Serial No. 200,591.

To all who/1t it may concern:

Be it known that we, ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON, lieutenant of the Royal Navyand director and. superintendent of Ordnance Works, and GEORGE THOMASBUcKnAM, en-

gineer, subjects of the King of Great Britain, residing at 32 Victoriastreet, Westminster,

London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBreech-Loading IO Ordnance, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to the breech mechanism of guns of the kind inwhich the breech-screw has interrupted screw-threads and is rotatablymounted in a swinging carrier pivoted to the gun, the said mechanismbeing so arranged that the continuance of the same action that unlocksthe breech-screw from the interrupted threads of the breech- 2o chamberalso withdraws it by swinging the carrier about its pivot.

The chief object of our invention is to so construct the mechanism thata considerable increase in the power employed for angularly displacingthe breech-screw in the breech-chamber is obtained compared with thatexisting in other kinds of breech mechanism in common use. Hitherto theangular displacement of the breech-screwhas generally been obtained bymechanical devices that give the breech-screw a simple turning momentaround its axis.

According to our invention we so arrange the breech mechanism that theforces for angularly displacing the breech-screw are applied in the formof a couple which, as will be obvious, will not tend to laterallydisplace the axis of the breech-screw, and therefore will not give riseto undesirable friction between the threads of the breech-screw andthose of the breech-chamber due to such cause, so that the whole of theavailable turning moment (except the ordinary friction of thescrewthreads) that can be brought to bear on the screw is utilized. inthe useful work of unseating or seating the obturat or in the gun.

In order that our said invention may be clearly understood and readilycarried into efi'ect, we will describe the same more fully withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an endelevation, Fig. 2 a plan,

and Fig. 3 a vertical section, of breech mechanism constructed inaccordance with our invention. Fig. 4 is a vertical section takenapproximately on the line 1 1 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectiontaken approximately on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3. F ig. 6 is a sectionsimilar to F 5, showing a modification; and Fig. 7 is a detailcross-section taken approximately 011 the line 3 3 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 isan end elevation, and Fig. 9 a plan, showing a further modification ofthe breech mechanism.

Like letters of reference indicate similar parts in all the figures.

A is the wall of the breech-chamber of the gun; B, the breech-screw; C,the swinging carrier in which said breech-screw is rotatably mounted; D,the obturator; E, the firing-gear, and F the hand-lever for actuatingthe breech mechanism.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 to 5, the rear face of thebreech-screw is provided with two rearwardly-projecting studs a a,arranged diametrically opposite each other and equidistant from the axisof the breechscrew. Around these studs may be fitted two sliding blocksa a, which engage with corresponding cavities or pockets in anangularly-displaceable plate C, which is mounted pivotally on thecarrier C and coaxial with the breech-screw. The said plate C is notpivoted directly to the stem O of the carrier on which the breech-screwrotates, but is mounted upon a sleeve G which in turn surrounds part ofthe stem of the carrier. The central hole in the plate C is preferablyslightly elongated with respect to the outside diameter of the sleeve Cand the cavities or pockets in the plate O for the reception of theblocks a are made slightly longer radially than the blocks themselves.This arrangement insures that any inaccuracies in the manufacture ofthese parts of the mechanism automatically adjust themselves. Itfurthermore insures that although the breech-screw is turned about itsaxis through the medium of the studs engaging with the blocks, (which inturn engage with the plate C,) the said breech-screw remains otherwisemechanically independent of the said plate, the result being that when aturning moment is applied to the said plate the breechscrew can centeritself by means of the coned jecting studs engage with the plate C.

seat of the obturator and the screw-threads of the breech-chamber, sothat the said plate can properly operate to apply the forces to thebreech-screw as a true couple. The said plate C has an arm C formed witha groove or slot 0, with which engages a roller on the crank-pin c of acrank 0 pivotally mounted on the carrier. The form of the groove or slot0 in said arm may be straight or of any desired shape for obtaining anaugmentation in the leverage or turning moment at any desired positionof the parts. The crank 0 may be provided with bevel-teeth c gearingwith a bevel-pinion 0 mounted on a stud or axle situated in a convenientposition on the carrier and forming part of the hand-lever F, so as tobe actuated thereby. This handlever is capable of swinging in ahorizontal or approximately horizontal plane and when actuated itimparts the angular displacement to the breech-screw through thebevelgear 0 0 the crank 0 the grooved or slotted arm C of the plate C,and the projecting studs a a with which said plate engages as aforesaid.When the hand-lever has been swung far enough to give the requisiteamount of angular displacement to the breech-screw, its continuedswinging movement causes the Whole of the breech mechanism, with thecarrier, to be swung about the carrier-pivot in the ordinary well-knownmanner.

In the case of large breech mechanism we sometimes operate the crankthat imparts motion to the plate C by worm and wormwheel gear instead ofby a hand-lever, in which case the worm-wheel may be mounted on thecarrier-pivot, which in turn may be geared with the bevel-teeth on thecrank, the worm being carried by a bracket on the gun in the ordinarywell-known manner.

Referring to Figs. 6 and 7, instead of employing two studs projectingrearwardly from the face of the breech-screw and entering slidingbushes, as explained in connection with the preceding figures, we usetwo short levers a a of equal length. Each of these levers has two studs(1 a one projecting for ward and the other rearward. Theforwardly-projecting studs engage with cavities in the breech-screw andthe rearwardlypro Obviously the levers may be made to engage with studson the breech-screw and plate C instead of themselves having studs. Thesaid levers may be situated in cavities or pockets formed either in thebreech-screw or in the plate C, or partly in one and partly in theother. The employment of these short levers effects the same object asthe sliding blocks a, hereinbefore described-that is to say, the turningforces are applied to the breech-screw as a true couple when said screwis being angularly displaced.

According to the other alternative arrangement illustrated by Figs. 8and 9 we pivot the angularly-displaceable plate C to the carrier at apoint 0 which is eccentric with respect to the axis of the breech-screwand connect said plate to the breech-screw at diametrically oppositepoints by two levers c c of equal length, but somewhat longer than thoseemployed when the pivot of the plate C is concentric with thebreech-screw. This arrangement is similar in its action to thearrangements already described above, and therefore needs no furtherexplanation.

Although we have shown and described the points of connection betweenthe angularly-displaceable plate and the breechscrew to be two in numberand to be situated at diametrically opposite points, which is thearrangement we prefer, we wish it to be understood that the said pointsneed not always occupy th is position if more than two be used, nor needthey necessarily engage with the face of the breech-screw. They maysometimes engage with the periphery thereof.

Any suitable form of firing-gear may be used in conjunction with ourimproved breech mechanism and may be actuated from a cam 0 of theaforesaid crank 0 as is well understood.

What we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is

1. In gun-breech mechanism, the combination with the breech-screwrotatably mounted on a swinging carrier of an angularly-displaceableplate movable in a plane parallel with the rear face of the breech-screwand engaging with the latter at a plurality of points situated at equaldistances from the axis of the breech-screw, an arm on saidangularly-displaceable plate, and means for actuating said arm in theoperation of opening and closing the breech for the purpose specified.

2. In gun-breech mechanism, the combination with a breech-screwrotatably mounted on a swinging carrier, of an angularlydis placeableplate mounted on the said carrier and engaging with the face of thebreechscrew at two diametrically opposite points situated at equaldistances fromthe axis of said breech-screw, an arm on saidangularlydisplaceable plate, gearing for actuating the said arm, and ahand-lever for operating said gearing and swinging the carriersubstantially as described.

3. In gun-breech mechanism, the combination with a breech-screwrotatably mounted on a swinging carrier, of an angularly-displaceableplate mounted on said carrier and engaging with the breech-screw at twodiametrically opposite points situated at equal distances from the axisof the latter, an arm on said angluarly-displaceable plate, a crank onsaid swinging carrier engaging with said arm, gearing for actuating saidcrank, and a hand lever for operating said gearing and swinging thecarrier substantially as described.

ICC

4. In gun-breech mechanism, the combination with a breech-screwrotatably mounted on a swinging carrier, of an angularly-displaceableplate mounted on said carrier parallel to the face of the breech-screwand engaging with the latter at two diametrically opposite pointssituated at equal distances from the aXis of the breech-screw, a groovedarm on said angularly-displaceable plate, a crank mounted on saidswinging carrier with its crank-pin engaging with said grooved arm,toothed gearing on the swinging carrier for actuating said'crank, and ahand-lever for opcrating said toothed gearing and swinging the carriersubstantially as described.

5. In gun-breech mechanism, the combination with a breech-screwrotatably mounted on a swinging carrier, of an angularly-displaceableplate loosely mounted on a sleeve carried by the swinging carrier,connectingpieces coupling the said angularly-displaceable plate with theface of the breech-screw at two diametrically opposite points situatedat equal distances from the axis of the breech screw, an arm on saidangularly-displaceable plate, and means for actuating said arm in theoperation of opening and closing the breech substantially as described.

6. In gun-breech mechanism, the combination with a breech-screwrotatably mo unted on a swinging carrier, of an angularlydis placeableplate mounted on said carrier at a point eccentric with respect to theaxis of the breech screw, lever -like connecting pieces coupling thesaid angularly-displaceable plate with the face of the breech-screw attwo diametrically opposite points situated at equal distances from theaxis of the breech-screw, an

arm on said angularly-displaceable plate, and means for actuating saidarm in the operation of opening and closing the breech substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands, in presence of twosubscribing witnesses, this 17th day of March, 1904.

ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON.

GEORGE THOMAS BUCKHABI Witnesses:

HENRY KING,

E. D. LANE.

